FILM M. Night Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin” falls short of expectations. B4
ALBUM Lil Yachty ventures into the rock genre with his album, “Let’s Start Here.” B6
FILM “The Menu” serves up delicious social satire with strong acting and brilliant writing. B7
February 10, 2023
Legacy music-making for the history books and the annual ‘Cherry Tree Massacre’
Alexis Kim and Maddie Stout Guide Deputy Editor and Hoya Staff Writer
ILLUSTRATION BY: JASMINE CRIQUI/THE HOYA
Renowned campus a cappella group putting on the annual ‘Cherry Tree Massacre’ and celebrating an anniversary
Alexis Kim and Maddie Stout
Deputy Guide Editor and Hoya Staff Writer
The “Cherry Tree Massacre,” is not, surprisingly, a gruesome battle in history that happened to take place in a cherry grove.
It is actually one of the largest and longestrunning a cappella shows on the East Coast, hosted by Georgetown University’s own Georgetown Chimes, the university’s oldest and only all-male a cappella group.
This year, the “Cherry Tree Massacre” will be celebrating its impressive 50-year anniversary.
“In the 1970s, no one had really been hosting a cappella shows,” Christian Kim (CAS ’25), a Georgetown Chime, said in an interview with The Hoya. To draw people in to experience a cappella for the frst time, the Chimes asked
themselves, “How will we get people to come to our show? How can we just make a really interesting name?”
In order to entice an audience, the Chimes took inspiration from Washington, D.C.’s quintessential spring foliage and the tale of how George Washington cut down a cherry tree. Thus, the Chimes birthed the perfectly shocking, yet seasonally appropriate, name.
The “Cherry Tree Massacre” is deeply rooted in tradition, which characterizes the historic group well. Through their long and storied tradition, the Chimes have made a profound impact on Georgetown’s campus culture, past and present.
The Chimes have a long and storied history, with humble beginnings as an all-male barber-
shop quartet that Frank Jones started in 1946. Named after the bells that ring in the south tower of Healy Hall during Chimes rehearsals, the Chimes, currently 275 members strong, have deep roots in Georgetown’s past.
Each new singer goes through the “Neophyte Process,” learning the group’s extensive repertoire, reaching out to graduates and discovering the history of the Chimes. During the process, Neophytes learn and perform over 100 songs for a more senior member. The process can take anywhere from eight months to three years, which has earned the Chimes the well-known reputation of having an intense and personal training process.
At the end of this initiation, new members receive a personalized, signature Chimes tie and an identifying number that runs sequentially from
The “Cherry Tree Massacre” is a time-honored tradition within the Georgetown Chimes, and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with this year’s performance.
Chime No. 1, Frank Jones.
Chime Ben Fosnocht (CAS ’25) said he completed his “Neophyte Process” in a mere seven months.
“It was something I really wanted to do, and so I committed myself to it,” Fosnocht said in an interview with The Hoya. “It was a lot of work, but I am glad I did it. It took a lot of time and efort, but like I said, it was something I knew I wanted to do and something I wanted to be a part of as soon as I could.”
Like many groups on campus, the Chimes place a heavy emphasis on tradition as a means of uniting their current and past members, even starting each practice with the same song.
“We always sing a song called ‘We Meet’ at the beginning of practices to warm up,” Jack Curtin (CAS ’23) told The Hoya
Every year, the group elects a new leader with the title “Ephus” among its class of active Chimes. When someone receives their Chimes tie, they are oficially a Chime for life; thus, the Chimes distinguish between the predominantly undergraduate “actives” who attend practice and all other Chimes.
“That process meant really making sure that I knew not only where I wanted the group to go my senior year but that I knew where all of my fellow Chimes wanted the group to go,” current Ephus Alex Flynn (CAS ’23) said in an interview with The Hoya. “So making sure I took input from all of my friends from all diferent levels of experience and seeing, you know, what they wanted to make this group.”
Henry Rosenblath (SFS ’24), a Chimes member still undergoing his “Neophyte Process,” said camaraderie within the group is incredibly important, pointing out the tremendous infuence of graduate connections.
“We do have a diferent thing where we will call with alumni on the phone to discuss our ‘Neophyte Processes,’” Rosenblath said in an interview with The Hoya. “We will meet them when they come to the Chimes house when they come into town for ‘Cherry Tree.’ Every year, we will go up to New York City for what is called a ‘Hum’ and meet a lot of alumni who live in that area.”
The “Hum” is the annual trip the Chimes take up to New York City. During their “Hums,” the Chimes reunite with graduates and participate in bonding activities like caroling and sightseeing.
In the past, the “actives” included “Celestial Chimes,” Jesuits-in-residence who sang with the group. This star-studded selection of singers has included Fr. James Walsh, S.J., who remained an “active” for nearly three decades before he passed.
The Chimes have deep ties to Georgetown, contributing their musical expertise to the culture of the university even after graduation and fnding a permanent family in their fellow Chimes. Many famous graduates,
such as Sen. Jon Ossof (D-Ga.) (SFS ’09), were also Chimes.
Many former Chimes say the long-lasting community is the best part of the group.
“I was talking to an alum recently whose father passed away, sadly, a few years after graduation,” Rosenblath said. “He got messages of support from everyone, from people who had been his close friends in the Chimes.”
“It’s something that stays with you as a sort of support structure,” he said.
Kim said support from fellow Chimes in the face of tragedy is far-reaching. “I was called down because they needed parts to sing at one of these funerals of the group leader from 1958,” Kim said. “All the people who went to school with him or people who knew him, later on, would come to support him as well, and even 70 some-odd years after he had graduated from Georgetown, the majority of people at the funeral were Chimes if they were not family,” Kim said.
Despite their incredibly tight-knit community, the Chimes are not exclusive. Kim said the Chimes seek to foster a sense of community and merrymaking in the Georgetown community at large.
“Just because I fnd such camaraderie inside the Chimes, it does not mean that I don’t think I can fnd it elsewhere. If anything, it’s a cool space I like to bring my other friends into,” Kim said. “I’m like, ‘Hey, look at us sing this goofy song’ and I’m like, ‘Whoa, that is so cool!’ We have a house, we play Mario Kart and I bring my friends too. I feel like it is not only the group. It is kind of like a space I belong in that I feel I belong in. I am happy to share with everyone else.”
Unlike other a cappella groups on campus, the Chimes are well-known for their barbershop quartet-like brand of a cappella, drawing from their repertoire of nearly 150 songs and over two dozen self-produced albums over the years.
“One thing that was really interesting to me was the kind of barbershop quartet style,” Flynn said. “I liked singing modern music in high school, and I don’t think I would have wanted to join a group if it was only modern music or only barbershop, but the Chimes do both.”
This mixture of old and new acts as another grounding point for the Chimes, allowing them to connect to the history of their group as well as a cappella music in general.
“I remember I stood in a quartet with a guy who had graduated in the ’60s, a guy who had graduated in the ’80s, a guy who had graduated in the early 2000s and myself, and for all of us to be able to just sing in a quartet for four hours and know all the same songs was something really special,” Flynn said.
The Chimes put deep thought and care into everything that they do, all while honoring their
The Georgetown Chimes also produce their own music, making up over two dozen albums and 150 songs.
decades-old traditions, especially the “Cherry Tree Massacre.” Active Chime Alex Flynn said the route to this year’s performance was not an easy one, in large part because of the recent operational issues in Gaston Hall.
“We are not able to hold the 50th ‘Cherry Tree’ in Gaston since the pipes under the stage burst, which is defnitely a hardship, but we have been trying to get around it,” Flynn said. “Still, we have been preparing since right before winter break, meeting three times a week plus having hours of personal work to make sure that the music is super sharp.”
Each year, the group recruits a cappella groups from all across the East Coast to perform. This year, all six Georgetown a cappella groups, as well as students from both American University and Catholic University, will be sharing their talents on stage at “Cherry Tree.”
Since each “Cherry Tree” performance features diferent a cappella groups, every “Cherry Tree Massacre” experience difers from year to year.
Conor McCarty (SFS ’23), a member of the Georgetown Phantoms, will perform Feb. 17. As a senior in the Phantoms, McCarty has performed in “Cherry Tree” two times before, though this year he said his experience has difered.
“Because this is a later date than usual, we have more time to prepare, which is really exciting,” McCarty said in an interview with The Hoya. “This gives us the opportunity to sing
more new music, and we will be performing two new songs.”
The “Cherry Tree Massacre” ofers both a venue for each a cappella group to showcase its abilities, as well as the entire Georgetown community the opportunity to witness the immense talent that its fellow students possess.
“One of the reasons why Georgetown can sustain such a big a cappella scene is that there is just so much talent that can be spread across six diferent groups who all do slightly diferent styles of music,” Flynn said. “There is enough space for all of them to shine and make their voices heard.”
The 50th “Cherry Tree Massacre” will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 10, 17 and 18. The frst show will be held in the Leavey Ballroom on Feb. 10, while the other shows will be held in the Lohrfnk Auditorium on Feb. 17 and 18. Tickets are available online and range from $10 to $15.
Audience members can expect to see the incredible camaraderie and welcoming atmosphere that the Chimes strive to create on Georgetown’s campus.
Curtin summed up the Chimes’ mission for The Hoya
“At the end of the day I think it is to entertain the Georgetown community — to deliver a musical performance but also to have a good time on stage and engage with the audience,” Curtin said.
IMBD
‘Knock at the Cabin’ is another film in a long line of M. Night Shyamalan thrillers, yet lacks the classic twist his viewers have come to expect.
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff
James Pocchia Senior Guide EditorSunlight blankets the dense forest surrounding a log cabin. A girl, perhaps 10 years old, sits quietly on the grass, collecting grasshoppers and depositing them into a large Mason jar.
Suddenly, a gargantuan man, arms covered in tattoos, emerges from the trees and approaches the girl. He speaks to her with a soft, friendly cadence that belies his hulking frame — at times, his voice wavers, almost to the point of breaking. He continually glances over his massive shoulder, as if expecting some unseen evil to crawl from the bushes.
So begins “Knock at the Cabin,” a film that, despite some well-directed moments, never again fully achieves the eerie beauty of that mesmerizing opening scene.
“Knock at the Cabin” marks writer and director M. Night Shyamalan’s first film since his polarizing 2021 thriller, “Old.” Based on the 2018 novel “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul G. Tremblay, the film centers around parents Eric and Andrew (Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge, respectively), who find themselves beset by four armed strangers while vacationing at a remote lakeside cabin with their young daughter (Kristen Cui).
The weapon-wielding group — led by the towering yet soft-spoken Leonard (Dave Bautista) — takes the trio hostage and claims that the family must voluntarily sacrifice one of the three of them to prevent a global apocalypse.
Shyamalan’s influence simultaneously serves as the film’s greatest strength and its Achilles’ heel.
On one hand, Shyamalan’s direction elevates every scene — unique camera angles and long tracking shots ratchet up the tension, giving every moment a grandiose, ominous feeling despite the story’s restricted physical setting. On the other hand, anyone who has watched “The Sixth Sense,” “Signs” or even “Old” will expect a markedly different — and perhaps more entertaining — experience from a Shyamalan film than what “Knock at the Cabin” has to offer.
Shyamalan’s movies are known for one recurring narrative characteristic: a mind-bending twist. And yet, “Knock at the Cabin” may feature his most unexpected twist ever — no twist at all.
In spite of the multitude of places in the story in which Shyamalan could have inserted a thrilling surprise, no shocking revelation ever comes to light. The enigmatic director instead moves through the film’s story in an inexplicably straightforward manner, resulting in a disappointingly
predictable narrative arc.
Because of this formulaic story, the burden falls upon the characters — and the actors who bring them to life — to retain the audience’s attention for the film’s 100-minute running time. Unfortunately, not all were up to the task.
Most of the assembled actors deliver over-the-top performances replete with gasping and needlessly frantic line deliveries. The actors sometimes spoke their lines with such overly emphatic goofiness that I felt the urge to laugh, despite the dark story. Cheesy, on-the-nose dialogue also inched the film closer to laughability with every passing second.
Luckily, Shyamalan’s film has a secret weapon: Dave Bautista. With his career-defining stint as Marvel’s clamorous, joke-spewing Drax the Destroyer coming to a close, Bautista proves himself to be an accomplished dramatic actor with his subtle performance as Leonard.
Unlike his fellow actors, Bautista understood how to infuse his performance with a believable sense of dread without ever raising his voice or wildly gesticulating. The gentle tone and subtle movements Bautista exhibits not only help ground the occasionally outlandish plot but also perfectly reflect his character’s occupation as a second-grade teacher.
The writing of Bautista’s character is also unex-
pectedly nuanced. When Leonard runs to a sink and retches following a gruesome moment, the audience understands that the initially intimidating home invader is, in truth, an everyday person who feels unnaturally compelled to perform horrible acts.
The writing also succeeds in its display of the enduring love between Eric and Andrew. The usage of well-placed flashbacks that depict the couple’s struggles against homophobia and their unyielding care for one another and their adopted daughter gave the film’s final act an unexpected emotional punch.
It is a shame, therefore, that the final act’s attempts to tug at viewers’ heartstrings are undermined by an anticlimactic epilogue overflowing with misplaced optimism. Shyamalan’s choice to deviate from the novel’s more ambiguous conclusion significantly weakens the power of the story, undermining its immersive darkness with an overly convenient and bizarrely sunny resolution.
Ultimately, in spite of strong direction, some tense scenes and a captivating performance by Bautista, “Knock at the Cabin” fails to reach the heights to which it aspires. An unfortunate waste of narrative potential, the film is sadly doomed to adorn the milehigh pile of mildly intriguing thrillers that comprise Shyamalan’s career.
William McCall Columnist
Sci-fi spectacles and neon-tinged orgies: elements that would bring a Cheshire grin to the face of body horror maestro David Cronenberg. Why then, do these elements feel so tired in “Infinity Pool,” the latest film by Cronenberg’s son, Brandon?
The movie follows author James (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wealthy wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) as the pair seek inspiration for James’ new book via an extravagant trip to a resort in the fictional country of Li Tolqa.
Their marriage is bitter, and it’s not helped by the appearance of Alban (Jalil Lespert) and Gabi (Mia Goth), both of whom appeal to James’ ego — and, in Gabi’s case, James’ libido — to convince him and Em to illegally venture outside the resort walls. All it takes is a few drinks, some questionable driving and one fatal pedestrian collision, and James finds himself in a Tolqan jail
for manslaughter. The sentence? Death. Fortunately, in order to protect the lives of wealthy international visitors and buttress Li Tolqa’s tourism industry, the Tolqan authorities have devised a simple way to ensure that their visitors never have to suffer the consequences of their illicit actions. With the aid of some viscous red liquid and intricate strobe lighting, a perfect replica of James is constructed — a replica that, to satisfy the letter of the law, is brutally killed while the original James looks on.
While others might be repulsed by watching “themselves” die, James is titillated: the execution awakens a hedonistic fervor within him — a fervor that he pursues with increasing intensity alongside Gabi, Alban and other rich travelers who have paid their pound of flesh to escape punishment. James and his posse initially appear content to just fool around a bit. However, as time passes, James is sucked into a disorienting world of sex and hallucinogenic nightmares where the boundaries of self begin to blur.
It’s at this juncture that the wheels start to come off. Examining effective examples of body horror, like the elder Cronenberg’s “The Fly” (1986) orBrianYuzna’s“Society”(1989),theunnaturaland uncomfortable are ever-present — but they exist
within a simple narrative structure with a defined goal. “The Fly” maps Seth Brundle’s Kafkaesque transformation into an inhuman monster, while “Society” harnesses supernatural paranoia to produce an etched-in-acid condemnation of the rich and powerful.
“Infinity Pool,” however, is all over the map, at times retreating up its own derriere in search of cohesion. For the latter half of the film, the younger Cronenberg seems determined to throw asmuchesoteric,needlesslygraphiccontentatthe viewer — including an uncomfortable number of breastfeeding scenes near the conclusion of the film — hoping that some of it dribbles together into a recognizable form.
This is a shame, because “Infinity Pool” seems to have much to say about the blight of affluent tourism. James, Gabi, Alban and others consistently fail to see the bodies they exploit — service workers, indigenous people or their freshly minted replicas — as human, dismissing, killing or insulting them indiscriminately. It’s all done in the name of amusement, which, by virtue of their enormous fortunes, they relish without punishment. It’s a novel point, but it swiftly becomes lost in a muddled final act that doesn’t resemble a film so much as a disturbed daydream
By Varsha Venkatram— overstylized and purposeless.
Granted, Cronenberg receives little help from his cast—particularlySkarsgård,whosedour,scowling performance can’t even be saved by his character’s natty, vacation-chic aesthetic. Combined with Goth’s screechingly manic Gabi, “Infinity Pool” finds itself without the kind of deus ex machina(ctors) that have rescued other subpar flicks in the past, such as James McAvoy in “Split” (2016).
Is the writing an issue? Probably. Yet one gets the sense that actors at the level of Skarsgård, who was excellent in “The Northman” (2022), and Goth, fresh off the highly-rated “Pearl” (2022) and “X” (2022), really ought to offset that fault. Perhaps Skarsgård and Goth should partake in the Tolqan cloning procedure — the resulting replicas might put on a better show than the originals.
Sometimes, it’s fun to pan a flawed movie, but I can’t help but feel bad for “Infinity Pool” and the collection of otherwise talented artists who created it. It could’ve and should’ve been so much more, and yet … it wasn’t. To borrow a line from Gabi, “more than anything else, it’s depressing.”
William McCall is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences. Hoya Horror will appear online and in print every month.
This Week’s Theme: President’s Weekend Itinerary
DUMBARTON OAKS PARK & TUDOR PLACE 2
Ever wanted to see a play at Georgetown, but haven’t been able to get tickets? Well, there are still a few free tickets left for the One Acts Festival, hosted by Mask and Bauble! Start your long weekend off with a viewing of three new student plays; “Melpomene by Another Name,” “Is There Life on Mars?” and “A Sure Thing.” All three will be showing throughout the weekend.
Take advantage of the slowly warming weather to explore a bit more of the community surrounding Georgetown’s campus. The Dumbarton Oaks Loop is a short, hilly and shaded 1.4 mile trail that is just a 20 minute walk from the Hilltop. The park is also located right next to Tudor Place, an estate owned by generations of Martha Washington’s descendants. Purchase a $5 student ticket and visit the Saturday before President’s Day to see the house’s lush gardens.
POLITICS AND PROSE / TWITTER
The Wharf 3
POLITICS AND PROSE
Old Town Alexandria 4
PRESIDENT’S DAY PARADE
Enjoy an outdoorsy President’s Day with a classic DMV excursion to Old Town Alexandria. The town celebrates the day (in addition to George Washington’s birthday) with a yearly parade, restaurant features, a historical ball and kid-friendly crafts (college students count as kids, right?). It also doesn’t hurt that the town itself is beautiful and certainly worth a day trip!
After building a career around eccentricity, Lil Yachty cranks his musical weirdness dial to the max in “Let’s Start Here,” his fifth studio album. Released Jan. 27, the album attempts to realize the Mableton, Ga. musician’s artistic ambitions beyond his signature “bubblegum trap” sound. “Let’s Start Here” marks an unexpected departure from Yachty’s previous discography, as it forays into a blend of psychedelic rock and funk. Yachty is no stranger to experimentation. While he is most associated with the Atlanta rap scene, Yachty’s 2021 mixtape “Michigan Boat Boy” saw him collaborate with Detroitbased artists to promote the city’s unorthodox style. That same year, Yachty joined forces with Tame Impala on a remix of “Breathe Deeper,”
foreshadowing his creative trajectory.
The bombastic album opener “the BLACK seminole.” blows all expectations into smithereens. The 6:52 minute lead track begins with Yachty’s ethereal, autotuned vocals layered on top of eerie synthesizers before exploding into distorted guitar solos, impassioned drums and feature vocalist Diana Gordon’s inhuman scream-singing.
Yachty proceeds to genre-hop his way across psychedelic sounds over the course of the album. Whereas “the BLACK seminole.” mixes the intense guitar riffs of Pink Floyd with the loud, progressive rock chaos of King Crimson, “the ride-” is more reminiscent of Tame Impala, as high-pitched vocals accompany unconventional instruments; the funky bassline that drives “running out of time” contains shades of Bootsy Collins and Thundercat.
Despite these obvious influences on “Let’s Start
Here,” the album still flows rather effortlessly thanks to its strong production. A supergroup of industry veterans, ranging from the Raisen brothers to Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jake Portrait and Magdalena Bay, helped maintain the album’s focus as it weaves between contrasting moods with exceptional finesse. Lush, warm chords quickly flow into stripped-down vulnerability and raw angst with great precision, imbuing each song with its own distinct character without much clashing.
Among the many talented artists featured on the album, Gordon is the clear standout, adjusting perfectly to her ever-changing role from the sweet, soulful singing in the Bee Geesinspired “drive ME crazy!” to rage and sorrow in “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!!” Other features like MGMT’s Benjamin Goldwasser, Mac DeMarco, Daniel Caesar and Teezo Touchdown all succeed in bringing additional life to
Lil Yachty successfully branches out into the rock genre with his latest album, “Let’s Start Here.”
the album in their respective performances. The genre-bending nature of the album, however, causes Yachty’s vocal performance to fall flat, especially during his more tender moments. The heavy use of autotune, though it adds an intriguing dimension to certain songs, becomes distracting in “pRETTy” and “sAy sOMETHINg” by creating an unnecessary harshness to two otherwise mellow songs. Other songs, such as “paint THE sky” and “sHouLd I B?,” begin to sound exhausting due to a lack of innovation and experimentation, and Yachty’s subpar vocals add little value to the songs’ perfunctory natures.
Thankfully, Yachty breaks up some of the more monotonous segments of the album with bouts of intense creativity. “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!!” keeps listeners off-balance by transitioning from its McDonald’s jingle-esque intro to thumping basslines that roar over Yachty and Gordon’s unsettling, intertwining vocals. “The Alchemist.” also gives listeners a strangely fun track, with its extremely fast-paced buildup shifting repeatedly into Fousheé’s slow, yet expressive, vocals.
In the same way that “the BLACK seminole.” served as a bold introduction to the album’s concept, Yachty looks to unsettle listeners once more with the ending track “REACH THE SUNSHINE.” Featured artist Daniel Caesar delivers a deceptively minimalist verse before the song crescendos to a thick wall of synths, slowly trickling back down to a hauntingly beautiful resolution that leaves the audience with an echoing chorus and a singular grand piano in the background.
“Let’s Start Here” is a testament to Yachty’s artistic maturity, a product of an intensely ambitious vision combined with an acumen for collaboration and attention to detail. The project subverts all expectations with its deliberateness, yet it still maintains Yachty’s signature playfulness as he challenges listeners with a delicious weirdness.
“Truth be told, all I ever wanted was to be respected as an artist,” Yachty said in a Twitter post shortly after the release of the album. He should be.
The album, with all of its shortcomings and flaws, is still one of the boldest musical statements in recent memory. It deserves to be celebrated as such.
And so, the self-proclaimed Lil Boat embarked on an artistic voyage, traversing a sea of rocker dreams in hopes of discovering a cove of authenticity and inventiveness.
So far, it’s been smooth sailing.
CW: This article references suicide. Please refer to this article on thehoya.com for on- and offcampus resources.
Taking place in a high-end restaurant where guests find themselves in a deadly trap, “The Menu” keeps its audience in suspense, inviting them to savor every new scene.
“The Menu” is a highly celebrated 2022 satirical horror/comedy directed by Mark Mylod, known for his work on critically acclaimed series such as “Game of Thrones” and “Shameless.” The film stars a talented ensemble cast, including well-known actors like Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult and Janet McTeer.
The film opens with a group of aristocrats arriving at a secretive and exclusive dining experience, where they are promised a $1,250 meal like no other. Created and run by Chef Slowik (Fiennes), the restaurant is located on its own island — Hawthorn Island, a 12-acre farm-to-
table destination.
We first meet Tyler (Hoult), a seemingly devoted foodie geek, who has brought along a date, Margot (Taylor-Joy). Margot stands out from the crowd from the beginning, and noticeably does not buy into the allure of Chef Slowik’s elite dining experience.
The rest of the guests are various members of the ultra-elite, from food critic Lillian (McTeer), who prides herself on writing scathing reviews that close restaurants, to three obnoxious Wall Street workers (Arturo Castro, Rob Yang, and Mark St. Cyr) to a declining movie star (John Leguizamo) and his assistant (Aimee Carrero).
The enigmatic Chef Slowik begins each course with a wordy monologue about the deeper meaning of the food, prompting feigned contemplation from the guests and even tears from Tyler. It soon becomes clear that Chef Slowik is parodying the culture of fine dining, and as the night progresses, his dark intentions grow clearer and clearer. Each diner goes on a different journey of denial of their fate, but soon, all the guests realize that their meal is heading in a dangerous direction.
‘The Menu’ is a thrilling dive into the world of food and an uneasy rollercoaster through the lives of restaurant guests who find themselves in a deadly trap.
The film’s cinematography is stunning, capturing the constantly shifting mood of the film and creating a sense of unease that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The lighting and camera work are used to great effect, building tension and adding to the overall intensity of the film. The film’s score is also noteworthy, with a haunting soundtrack that adds to the suspense.
Another standout aspect of “The Menu” is the film’s script. The film is well-written and well-crafted, with a suspenseful and unpredictable plot and scenes that are ingeniously presented as different dishes on a menu. The twists and turns of the film keep audiences guessing, creating an experience that is full of surprises.
Most of the characters are well-developed as well, their motivations and backstories explored through creative means, rather than simple exposition. “The Menu” also does an excellent job of exploring the relationships between characters, adding depth and nuance to the story.
Mylod’s direction is masterful, bringing together elements of comedy and drama to
create a thrilling experience. He succeeds in exploring the world of high-end cuisine and the eccentricities of the chefs who create it. The film offers a unique and entertaining look at the culinary arts, with elements of dark comedy and drama woven together to create a captivating story.
Nevertheless, “The Menu” won’t be for everyone. Some may claim the satirical element is pushed too far, and some of the characters are less fleshed out than others. For example, Anne (Judith Light), the partner of cheating businessman Richard (Reed Birney), is given little substance or backstory. There is also a macabre depiction of suicide, which may be upsetting for some viewers.
Despite the flaws of “The Menu,” the script and steep downward spiral of the story are incredibly entertaining. The film’s talented cast, stunning cinematography and well-written script all come together to create an unforgettable viewing experience.
Whether you’re a fan of satirical horror or simply looking for a suspenseful, edge-of-yourseat movie, “The Menu” is not to be missed.
Hi, Hoyas! This week, I interviewed varsity swimmer Jordan Gross (CAS ’24) to get a peek into the mind of an elite college athlete and get insight on how he achieves wellness through commitment to his sport and team. I sought to answer a question that’s always eluded me: what motivates someone to commit to wellness at the highest level? In high school, I wanted to commit to a workout routine but never could due to academic and extracurricular commitments. But when I got to college, I found that I could suddenly live a life of wellness easily, and I was never able to put my finger on what changed. I hoped to solve this mystery by speaking with Gross, who has had to fully commit himself to his sport while maintaining a rigorous course load and balanced lifestyle.
College swimming is extremely intense,
with a 20-hour in-season weekly practice schedule consisting of swim practice, lifting and weekly meets. Gross, who has competed at this high level for more than a decade, affirmed just how difficult this level of athletic competition is, especially when coupled with maintaining a full life as a Georgetown University student.
To start my quest for answers, I examined Gross’ practice schedule. For those of you like me who don’t have a clue what “Z2” means, don’t worry — I won’t get into any swimmer jargon, although I’m happy to finally understand the vocabulary these athletes use daily.
When looking through his schedule, I began to understand one reason why Gross and his peers can remain so strongly committed to their sport in the face of such demanding practice requirements: their training is tailored to their needs.
All 60 members of the swim team have different schedules, with each day focusing on improvement in specific areas: longer aerobic distances, aerobic stroke work, speed production, racing and race pace. These swimmers take an almost scientific
approach to their sport, tackling each small goal they set until they accomplish their major ones, including winning the Big East Swimming and Diving Championship, like the men’s team did last year.
Seeing this laid out in Gross’ practice schedule helped me realize that incorporating variety and achievable short-term tasks into my wellness is necessary to meeting my goals and retaining interest in my wellness journey. For the exercise example, this might be creating a schedule that focuses on a different muscle group or different activity — such as cycling or yoga — each day of the week. Like swimmers, we must follow schedules that are tailored to our strengths and weaknesses.
The answer to my mystery was more than custom schedules, however. I wanted to know what could help me stay motivated to follow my schedule, so I once again turned to Gross. He mentioned accountability through community, expressing gratitude in his 59 teammates and their ability to push him to reach his potential every day.
I realized that I had already created my own similar system of accountability: I lift
By Varsha Venkatramand practice yoga with supportive gym partners. Knowing that other people want you to succeed can serve as strong external accountability, helping you stay on track to achieve your goals.
Thanks to Gross, I’ve learned that in order to stay well, I need a system of accountability, variety in my schedule, specific and attainable goals and above all, joy.
Wellness should not be an unpalatable substance we force ourselves to consume each day, but rather a delicacy we cannot wait to enjoy. Stay happy and healthy, Hoyas!
P.S. If you find yourself wanting to start swimming after hearing Gross’ story, I encourage you to consider attending a Georgetown Club Swim practice. President Carolene Fouty (CAS ’23) can attest to the supportive community you will find there, and told me joining the team was one of the best choices she has made at Georgetown.
Sophia Williams is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. Wellness Personalis will appear online and in print every other week.
